6. When the Jews demanded a sign of him, he refused to give them any, but the sign of the prophet Jonah, that "as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so the Son of man should be three days and nights in the grave," Matt. xii. 38-41. 7. When he was told that his mother and his brethren stood without, and wanted to speak with him, he took occasion to say, "whosoever should do the will of his Father were indeed his nearest relations, his brother, his sister, and his mother," Matt. xii. 46-50.

8. Though he wrought many miracles in his life, yet he wrought but few of them in his own country, because they despised him as the son of a carpenter, and would not believe in him, Matt. xiii. 54-58.

9. When Jesus walked upon the water towards his disciples in a storm, he called Peter out of the ship to walk upon the water too, and reproved him for his fearfulness and unbelief when he began to sink, Matt. xiv. 24—32. ›

10. He commended Peter for his confession of him as the Son of the living God, and promised to build his church upon this rock, for this confession of Peter but presently after, he told his disciples of his sufferings and death, and reproved Peter severely for wishing that Christ might not suffer and die, Matt. xv. 16-23.

11. When tribute money was required of him at Capernaum, he sent Peter to catch a fish, and told him he should find money in the mouth of it, which he did, and paid it to those who gathered the tax, Matt, xvii. 24-27.

12. When little children were brought to him that he should touch them, his disciples rebuked those that brought them; but Jesus took them in his arms, and blessed them, and said, Of such is the kingdom of God," Mark x. 13-16.

13. When a rich young man inquired of him "what he should do to obtain eternal life," he tried him by

saying, keep the commandments, or "Do this and live; for the man that doeth them shall live by them;" as Rom. x. 5. But when the young man was so confident of his own righteousness, and so little sensible of his imperfections, as to reply, "All these I have kept from my youth: what do I lack more?" our Lord then put him to a further trial, bid him sell what estate he had, give to the poor, and follow him as one of his disciples. At this "the young man went away sorrowful, because he had great possessions:" whence Jesus took occasion to say, "it was hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven," Matt. xix. 16-24.

14. When James and John desired to be made chief in his kingdom, and to sit on his right hand and on his left, Jesus took occasion to suppress ambition amongst all his disciples, and said, "Whoever will be chief amongst you, let him be your servant; as the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many," Matt. xx. 20-28.

15. As he was travelling from Galilee to Jerusalem, Samaria lay in his way: and when the Samaritans would not receive him, some of his disciples. would have " called for fire from heaven upon them, as Elias did:" but he severely reproved them, saying, they "knew not what manner of spirit they were of; for the Son of man came to save men's lives, and not to destroy them," Luke ix. 51-56.

16. When our Saviour was entertained at Bethany, he gently reproved Martha for being too much cumbered with care to entertain and feast him, and commended her sister Mary, who sat at Jesus's feet, and heard his words: "Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her," Luke x. 38-42.

17. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, he went to the grave in company with Martha and Mary, his two sisters, and several Jews: he bade them take away the stone from the mouth of the cave, and prayed

to his Father, and then commanded Lazarus to come forth, who had been dead four days; and Lazarus obeyed him, and came forth, John xi.

18. The Jews used to travel on foot from place to place, yet, when he went up to the last feast at Jerusalem, he rode into the city upon the colt of an ass, that the prophecy of Zechariah might be fulfilled, Zech. ix. 9. and a great multitude attended him as in triumph, crying, "Hosannah to the Son of David;" so that the children learned the song, and repeated it in the temple, Matt. xxi 1-6.

19. When he found in the temple those that sold oxen, and sheep, and doves, and the changers of money, he made a scourge of small cords, and drove them all out of the temple, and overthrew the tables, with the money on them; and said, "It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves." And he went out of the city, and lodged that night at Bethany, Matt. xxi. 12, 13, 17.

20. When he returned from Bethany, the next morning, he cursed a fig-tree that had only leaves and no fruit on it, to show the doom of fruitless professors of religion; and presently the fig-tree withered away. This is said to be the only miracle of destruction that Jesus wrought, for all the rest were miracles of goodness, Matt. xxi. 17-20.

Conclusion of this chapter.

70 Q. After we have heard this brief account of the transactions of the life of Christ, tell me what was the sum of that religion which Christ taught during his life?

A. It consisted chiefly in these few articles:

1. He confirmed the doctrine of the one true God, and the revelation of his mind and will to men by Moses and the prophets.

2. He explained the moral law, and enforced the

observance of it for ever; and summed it up, in short, in two great commandments, namely, "Love God with all your heart, and love your neighbour as yourself."

3. He continued the observance of the ceremonial law for the present, that is, wherever it did not interfere with the duties of the moral law: but where it did interfere, he taught that the moral law was always to be preferred.

4. He required repentance for sin, and faith in himself, as the great Prophet who came to reveal the grace of God to men, both for the pardon of sin and eternal life.

5. He appointed the profession of his religion to be made by baptism, to denote the washing away of our sins, and our being renewed to holiness by the Spirit of God.

6. Just before his sufferings and death, he appointed the feast of the Lord's supper, as a constant memorial of his dying for the sins of men, and our partaking of the benefits thereof, Matt. xxvi, 17–31. 1 Cor. 16, 17.

Note, This dispensation during the life of Christ was a medium between the Jewish and Christian dispensations.

CHAPTER XXIV.

OF THE DEATH, RESURRECTION, AND ASCENSION OF CHRIST.

SECTION I.

Of his sufferings, death, and burial.

1 Q. When Jesus had instituted his holy supper, where did he go?

A. He knew that the hour of his sufferings was at hand, and he went with his disciples into a neighbouring garden at Gethsemane, where he sustained

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great and grevous agonies and sorrows in his soul, Matt. xxvi. 38, 39.

2 Q. How did it appear that his anguish was so great?

A. It is written of him, that "he began to be sore amazed and very heavy," or overburdened. He told his disciples that "his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death ;" and under this agony or sharp conflict, his sweat was like great drops of blood falling down to the ground, Mark xiv. 33, 34. Luke xxii. 44. 3 Q. What was the cause of these sorrows and agonies?

A. They could not arise merely from the fears of death, or being nailed to a cross; for then he would not have been a fit example of courage and patience to his disciples and followers, some of whom have suffered the same death of the cross, without such overwhelming terrors and fears as Christ discovered : it has been generally supposed therefore, and with very good reason, that these agonies of his soul arose from the sense of the anger of God for the sins of men, some way manifested to him; perhaps also increased by the temptations of evil angels, for "it pleased God to bruise him, and make his soul an offering for sin," Luke xxii. 63. Is. liii. 6, 10. And it is evident the powers of darkness were let loose upon him, Luke xxii. 53. John xiv. 30.

4 Q. What did Jesus do in these agonies?

A. He prayed three times earnestly, "that if possible this hour might pass from him;" his innocent human nature being afraid of such sharp and smarting sorrows; yet he submitted himself to the wisdom and will of his father, Mark xiv. 35, 36.

5 Q. What assistance had he to support him under this agony?

A. There appeared an angel from heaven, encouraging and strengthening him, Luke xxii. 43.

6 Q. Where were his disciples at this time?

A. He had withdrawn to a little distance from the